Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Jimmy Lai

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to (1) the government of China, and (2) the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, about British citizen Jimmy Lai.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary set out our views regarding developments in Hong Kong with State Councillor Wang Yi last month. We continue to use our channels with the Chinese Government to make clear to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities our strong opposition to the National Security Law. The deliberate targeting of journalists and businessmen such as Mr Lai is unacceptable. The Minister for the Indo-Pacific met representatives of Mr. Lai's international legal team on 10 January. Senior officials have and will continue to raise cases such as Mr Lai's with the Hong Kong authorities. Diplomats at our Consulate-General in Hong Kong will continue to attend Mr Lai's court proceedings.

Ukraine: War Crimes

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the USA about the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine; and what response they received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is working closely with international partners, including the US government, to ensure those committing atrocities in Ukraine are held to account. As the Foreign Secretary announced on 20 January, the UK has accepted Ukraine's invitation to join a 'core group' to consider options for ensuring criminal accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine, including possibly through a special tribunal. These are complex issues of international law, which the group must be allowed time to consider. The UK recognises the importance of working with partners on accountability.

Ukraine: War Crimes

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to laying a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly providing for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine, citing the precedents of such tribunals in Sierra Leone and Cambodia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is working closely with international partners to ensure those committing atrocities in Ukraine are held to account, including at the UN level. As the Foreign Secretary announced on 20 January, the UK has accepted Ukraine's invitation to join a 'core group' to consider options for ensuring criminal accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine, including possibly through a special tribunal. These are complex issues of international law, which the group must be allowed time to consider.

Yazidis: Women

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to ensure that the Yazidi women and girl victims of Islamic State crimes are supported and have access to justice.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK led the UN Security Council to establish the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD) and continues to encourage close co-operation between UNITAD and the Government of Iraq.We also advocated for the passing of the Yazidi Survivors Law, an important first step toward assistance and justice for survivors of sexual violence by Daesh. The UK is committed to helping Iraq fully implement the legislation, including providing funding support to the Directorate of Yazidi Affairs.During my recent visit to Iraq I met with Yazidi communities and leaders to hear their experiences and reiterate UK support.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the outcome of the recent meeting of E3 diplomatswith Iran in Oslo; andwhat assessment they have made of that outcome.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: E3 (France, Germany and the UK) Political Directors met Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, in Oslo on 16/17 March. The discussion covered the range of our concerns about Iran's behaviour, including its continued nuclear escalation. We have made clear to Iran that its actions over the past months have made progress towards a diplomatic solution on the nuclear issue much more difficult. This was not a negotiation on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Crimes Outside National Territories

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the law on universal jurisdiction; and in particular, what plans they have to expand the scope of section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001, namely the group of perpetrators who can be tried for international crimes in domestic courts.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The criminal law of England and Wales provides for universal jurisdiction over the crimes of torture and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, allowing national authorities to investigate and prosecute these offences under certain conditions when they were committed abroad by foreign nationals. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 allows jurisdiction over the offences of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed abroad by any person who: (i) is/was a UK national or UK resident at the time of the crime; or (ii) became a UK national or UK resident after the crime and still resides in the UK when proceedings are brought. There are no plans to reform the law on universal jurisdiction.

Yemen: Humanitarian Situation

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have led recently at the United Nations with the aim of alleviating Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis; and what discussions they have had at the UN with the governments of Saudi Arabia and of the Gulf States in regard to humanitarian funding for Yemen this year.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK uses its role as penholder at the UN Security Council to support the Yemen peace process. A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability and address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We are also working closely with the UN Special Envoy to Yemen in his efforts to develop the current de facto truce into a Yemeni-led political settlement under UN auspices. The UK pledged up to £88 million of aid for Yemen at the UN-led Humanitarian Pledging Conference in Geneva in March.We continue to engage with Gulf partners regarding a coordinated approach to effectively deliver humanitarian aid in Yemen. This includes at the ambassadorial level and through our officials in Riyadh and Amman. At the inaugural UK-Saudi Arabia Aid Dialogue last month, improving humanitarian access and encouraging greater funding commitments by regional partners were identified as key targets.

Afghanistan: Journalism

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the numbers of Afghan journalists currently at risk of persecution in (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, and (3) Iran, for their professional activities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a champion of media freedom and a proud member of the Media Freedom Coalition. Defending media freedom at home and abroad is a priority for the UK. In Afghanistan, we understand that around 40 per cent of media outlets have ceased to operate and that 60 per cent of journalists have lost their jobs since August 2021. We continue to address the issue of media freedom in our discussions with the Taliban. We regularly raise media freedom at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan, most recently in January 2023. We condemn the Iranian authorities' crackdown on journalists and continue to raise the Iranian peoples' right to access independent media. The UK regularly engages countries on the need to respect human rights, including on freedom of expression and media freedom.

Crimes Outside National Territories

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's law on universal jurisdiction; what challenges any such assessment identified; and how they are planning to address those challenges to ensure that the UK can play a proactive role on ensuring justice and accountability for international crimes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Applying universal jurisdiction in respect of certain offences helps to ensure that the UK does not provide a safe haven for war criminals or those who commit other serious violations of international law. The Crown Prosecution Service, as the agency responsible, will continue to bring individuals to justice wherever possible. Any decision to prosecute offences of universal jurisdiction in England and Wales is governed by the same principles that apply to any other prosecution and must be in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Burundi: Polio

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help prevent the polio virus outbreak in Burundi from spreading.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We note reports of a recent outbreak of polio in Burundi and urge the Government of Burundi to continue taking preventative measures to limit further risks to the population. FCDO officials have engaged with international partners to discuss how we can limit the outbreak of polio worldwide.

Burundi: Freedom of Expression

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) freedom of speech, and (2) freedom of the press, in Burundi.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government welcomes the Government of Burundi's stated commitment to improving the human rights situation and the recent steps taken which demonstrate progress in this regard. We note reports of human rights violations and abuses being committed against the political opposition and critical voices, which we regularly discuss at a senior level with the Government of Burundi. We continue to call on the Government of Burundi to ensure that Burundi develops along a positive trajectory and look forward to Burundi's Universal Periodic Review this year. We urge the Government of Burundi to fully implement the recommendations made in the last review.

Development Aid

Lord Londesborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byViscount Younger of Leckie on 15 December 2022 (HL Deb cols 807–11),what level the next funding round of UK Aid Match will be set at; and what proportion of Overseas Aid this will represent.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Grants under Round 5 of UK Aid Match are due to begin from April 2023 and will have a total value of £13 million over 3 years.We also use UK Aid Match to support emergency humanitarian responses, including £25 million of match funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine appeal.We are currently considering future models for central FCDO funding for civil society and we will draw on the successes of the current UK Aid Match programme.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan in respect of reports ofopen fire from Azerbaijani combat positions on Armenian civilians completing agricultural work in the villages of Sos, Tagavard, and Machkalashen on 23, 24 and 26 March.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government has not made representations to the Azerbaijani government on this specific matter. However, during his visit to Baku on 22 February, the Minister for Europe met with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and other government officials, and called for the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor and urgent re-engagement with international efforts aimed at securing stability and peace in the region. The UK Government will continue to emphasise this message in further official engagement with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments in the coming months.

Transcaucasus: Roads

Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the ruling of the International Criminal Court on 22 February that the government of Azerbaijan must end the blockage of the Lachin corridor, what representations they are making to the government of Azerbaijan to open the Lachin corridor.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has noted the International Court of Justice's judgments, and continues to call for immediate action to re-open the Lachin Corridor and restore the flow of goods and people into Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on 2 March, our Ambassador stated that the parties to the conflict must engage in substantive negotiations, without preconditions, to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement to the conflict and to resolve all outstanding tensions. This followed engagements by the Minister for Europe with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments over January and February this year.

China: Russia

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination in the New Era, dated 21 March.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Addressing the threat from Russia to European security is the most pressing security and foreign policy priority in the short to medium term. China poses an epoch-defining and systemic challenge. We are therefore concerned by the deepening strategic partnership between China and Russia and the implications for an open and stable international order. Putin's war in Ukraine is a breach of international law, a violation of the UN Charter, and was condemned by an overwhelming majority of 141 member nations in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on 23 February 2023 - a resolution we were disappointed China chose to abstain on. As a P5 member, we expect China to stand up for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and uphold its commitment to the principles of UN Charter - principles that underpin Zelenskyy's peace plan.

Transcaucasus: Roads

Lord McInnes of Kilwinning: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan since 1 March regardingthe closure of the Lachin Corridor.

Lord McInnes of Kilwinning: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken since 1 March regarding the closure of the Lachin Corridor.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has repeatedly called for immediate action to re-open the Lachin Corridor and restore the flow of goods and people into Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 2 March, our Ambassador stated that the parties to the conflict must engage in substantive negotiations, without preconditions, to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement to the conflict and to resolve all outstanding tensions. The UK Government will continue to emphasise this message in further official engagement with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments in the coming months.

Freight: Windsor Framework

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what proposalsthey have madefor groupage haulageunder the Windsor Framework.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The agreement establishes a new UK internal trade scheme based on commercial data-sharing, not international customs processes, for the movement of goods. This new scheme will significantly expand the range of businesses who can benefit; end the requirement for traders to provide customs commodity codes for each movement; scrap burdensome supplementary declarations and ensure that businesses can therefore move their goods using the same type of commercial information as they already hold when moving goods to the Isle of Wight.We will continue to engage closely with industry and broader stakeholders on the operational arrangements of the new scheme, including the haulage sector.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Property Development: Floods

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany new residential properties have been constructed within Environment Agency flood zone 2 each year, since the financial year 2012/13.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The percentages of new residential addresses created that have been within each of Environment Agency flood zones 3 and 2 in each financial year since 2012-13 are provided below. Figures for 2012-13 are not available on the same basis due to a change in land use change methodology which took effect from 2013-14.The most recent available percentages of new residential addresses created that have been within Environment Agency flood zone 3, broken down by local authority area are provided in the attached table.Financial yearProportion of new residential addresses created within Flood Zone 3 1 (Per cent)Proportion of new residential addresses created within Flood Zones 2 and 3 2 (Per cent) 2013-14710 2014-15811 2015-16811 2016-17811 2017-181013 2018-19811 2019-20913 2020-21711 2021-22710 Sources:   1 Live table 320: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/land-use-change-statistics-2021-to-2022 2 Using address data used to derive the land use change - new residential address statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/land-use-change-statistics-2021-to-2022  Although National Flood Zone 2 is a stand-alone category, to be practically useful it is generally combined with National Flood Zone 3 to give a complete picture of areas at 0.1% or more risk of flooding in any given year. Therefore figures are provided for National Flood Zones 2 and 3 combined.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what(1) area in square metres, and (2) proportion, of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole will be occupied by the intended UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including (a) the entrance pavilion, (b) courtyard and ramp into the Learning Centre, (c) associated hard standing, (d) service access, (e) new access paths, (f) the parts of the mound not accessible to the public, and (g) areas to be enclosed to ensure the security of the Centre.

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the size in square metres of (1)the current playground in Victoria Tower Gardens, (2) the intended new playground, (3) the intended new café, and (4) the part of the current playground to be occupied by UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre ticketing and associated works.

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) area in square metres, and (2) proportion ofVictoria Tower Gardens as a whole, will be enclosed to guarantee security around the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in addition to the area occupied by the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre itself.

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the floor area in square metres of the proposed underground construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; and what percentage of this underground area will be used for exhibitions and public space as part of the Learning Centre.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Extensive information about the design of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre was considered at the Planning Inquiry in October 2020 and remains publicly available on Westminster City Council’s website. The additional detail requested is set out in the table below and to provide further assistance and to illustrate the answers I am placing the three source documents in the Library:Gross Internal Area (GIA) & Building Area Breakdown Schedule which shows the area in square metres of every internal space within the proposed Learning Centre, the Entrance Pavilion and the Café/Kiosk.Park Area Diagram rev 2 which shows both the size of Victoria Tower Gardens and the area taken by the Holocaust Memorial above ground within the park.Playground Area Adjustment which shows the boundaries and areas of the current playground and proposed reconfigured playground. It also shows the area between the Spicer Memorial in its proposed new location and the Holocaust Memorial’s entrance pavilion. This area would provide circulation space for all park users between the boundary of the reconfigured playground and the Memorial’s Entrance Pavilion.  QuestionAnswerSource1The floor area in square metres of the proposed underground construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.3258 m2 * (includes 373m2 of unusable spaces such as voids, risers and areas with limited headroom) * all areas are gross internal floor area (GIFA) i.e. excluding external walls.GIA & Building Area Breakdown Schedule2Percentage of the underground area that will be used for exhibitions and public space as part of the Learning Centre.52.85% Mezzanine Level Lobby (103m2) Learning Centre (349 m2) Basement Level Threshold (314m2) Learning Centre (956 m2) Total = 1722 m2GIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule3Area in square metres of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole, that will be enclosed to guarantee security around the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in addition to the area occupied by the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre itself.Zero as an addition to the 1429 m2 occupied by the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.NHM Park Area Diagram rev 24Proportion of (3)ZeroNHM Park Area Diagram rev 25Size in sqm of the current playground in Victoria Tower Gardens1010 m2Playground Area Adjustment 6Size in sqm of the intended new playground945 m2Playground Area Adjustment7Size in sqm of the intended new café15 m2 Café/Kiosk 38 m2 including generator and storageGIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule8Size in sqm of the part of the current playground to be occupied by UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre ticketing and associated works23m2 Café/Kiosk generator and storage. Zero occupied by ticketing operations in the Entrance Pavilion. Footfall area 155 m2GIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule Playground Area Adjustment9Area in square metres of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole that will be occupied by the intended UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including (a) the entrance pavilion, (b) courtyard and ramp into the Learning Centre, (c) associated hard standing, (d) service access, (e) new access paths, (f) the parts of the mound not accessible to the public, and (g) areas to be enclosed to ensure the security of the Centre.1429 m2NHM Park Area Diagram rev 210Proportion of (9)7.58%NHM Park Area Diagram rev 2

Victim Support Schemes: Women

Baroness Thornton: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address geographical areas where there is a shortfall in specialist community support for girls and young women, particularly those with protected characteristics, informed by age, gender, culture, and trauma of those in need.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Local authorities are supported by a range of grants from central government. The Department of Health and Social Care are investing £25 million in women’s health hubs across England, so that women can get better access to care for essential services such as menstrual problems, contraception and the menopause.The Government Equalities Office are responsible for equalities legislation, but all public authorities are bound by public sector equality duties.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Self-harm

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the rates of self-harm by prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection in the last five years.

Lord Bellamy: Please see the attached table showing the rates of self-harm by prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection1,2,3,4,5  for the last five years that data is available. The numbers used to derive the rates of self-harm for this PQ are published. The quarterly population figures are taken from the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly publication and then averaged across the calendar year. The self-harm incidents are taken from the annual self-harm in prison custody tables from the Safety in Custody Quarterly publication. The rates are calculated using these figures, and the methodology described in footnote 5 below.Imprisonment for public protection (IPP)20172018201920202021Self-harm incidents per 1,000 prisoners895.01129.51271.21095.51108.0 (1) Figures include incidents during contracted out escorts. Figures do not include incidents at Medway STC.(2) In prisons, as in the community, it is not possible to count self-harm incidents with absolute accuracy. In prison custody, however, such incidents are more likely to be detected and counted. Care needs to be taken when comparing figures shown here with other sources where data may be less complete.(3) A new sentence - Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) - was introduced in 2005.(4) The definition of IPP prisoners included in this analysis only includes unreleased prisoners. IPP prisoners who have been recalled to prison after a release are not included.(5) Self-harm incident rates are derived by 1,000 x (number of incidents in year)/(average population for year). Prison population figures are from the Offender Management Statistics quarterly bulletin and are averaged across the four quarterly population figures for each year.Table (xlsx, 17.4KB)

Community Orders

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the use of community sentencing.

Lord Bellamy: Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary and it is right that they have a broad range of sentencing powers, including discharges, fines, community sentences, suspended sentences and custodial sentences, to deal effectively and appropriately with offenders based on the circumstances of the case.To strengthen the option of community sentences for sentencers, this Government introduced reforms through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022 to make them tougher, better monitored, and more effective for punishing offenders, tackling the underlying drivers of offending, and providing support for those who want to turn their lives around.This includes the option for tougher and more flexible use of electronically monitored curfews to better reflect the punishment intended, better support rehabilitation, and better protect victims. The Government is also piloting Problem-Solving Courts (PSC) for specific cohorts with underlying needs through robust supervision and interventions delivered by a multi-agency team with judicial oversight.Beyond the Act, we are: increasing the use of community sentence treatment requirements which require offenders to engage with mental health, drug/alcohol treatment as part of their community sentence; investing up to £120m to get more offenders engaged in treatment; completing and evaluating the Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) Pilots to continue the development of higher quality and timely PSRs to support judicial decision making; implementing our refreshed Integrated Offender Management Strategy to align police and probation in rigorous supervision of specific offenders within the community; and exploring options to increase the availability of robust residential requirements for women.

Department of Health and Social Care

Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation: Disclosure of Information

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the minutes of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation meeting that set out the clinical risk groups for the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Spring 2023 will be made available to the public.

Lord Markham: The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which discussed which groups would be eligible for the precautionary COVID-19 booster programme of spring 2023, will be made publicly available through the GOV.UK website in due course.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that family members of, and carers for, people in the clinical risk groups are not recommended to receive COVID-19 booster vaccinations, what steps they are taking to protect people in clinical risk groups from contracting COVID-19.

Lord Markham: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement titled ‘Approach to Managing Covid-19’ on 30 March 2023, in 2023/24 the Government will maintain a range of capabilities to protect those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Given the continued effectiveness of vaccines and improved treatments, for most people there is a much lower risk of severe illness compared to earlier in the pandemic. We will therefore continue to encourage people to take up the vaccines to which they are entitled, and we will continue to fund and provide COVID-19 testing, to manage outbreaks in some high-risk settings and to enable access to treatments for those who are eligible. We will also maintain essential COVID-19 surveillance activities in the community, primary and secondary care, and in high-risk settings. Additionally, we will retain proportionate capability for testing in the event of a COVID-19 wave or variant that results in a significant increase in pressure on the National Health Service. Vaccination does not significantly limit transmission, so there is no strong reason to prioritise vaccination for carers of those who are at high risk of severe illness.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what are their reasonsforimplementing restrictions on the spring 2023 COVID-19 booster programme; and what factorswere considered in determining the eligibility criteria for the booster programme.

Lord Markham: As with all vaccination programmes in the United Kingdom, the decision on which groups are eligible for a particular vaccination programme is only made following careful consideration of the groups most at risk of illness, severe illness, or death because of infection. For COVID-19, the primary aim of the vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, both in hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. Therefore, in February 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided advice for the spring 2023 COVID-19 vaccination programme. As a precautionary measure, JCVI advised a spring booster dose for the most vulnerable in the population, as a proportionate response: those over the age of 75 years, residents in a care home for older adults, and those over five years of age who are immunosuppressed.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) evidential basis, and (2) rationale, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation used to determine that family members of, and carers for, people in the clinical risk groups identified in the Green Book are not recommended to receive COVID-19 booster vaccinations.

Lord Markham: In November 2022, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided interim advice which indicated that in autumn 2023, persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19 could be offered a booster vaccine dose in preparation for winter 2023 to 2024. As it was interim advice, the JCVI report does not contain any evidential basis for proposed cohorts. Final advice on who will be advised to receive COVID-19 boosters in autumn 2023 will be provided in due course. The considerations for any future decisions will be referenced in JCVI reports and meeting minutes. In February 2023, JCVI provided advice for the spring 2023 COVID-19 vaccination programme. As a precautionary measure, JCVI advised a spring booster dose for the most vulnerable in the population, as a proportionate response: those over the age of 75 years, residents in a care home for older adults, and those over five years of age who are immunosuppressed. These groups were chosen as they continue to be at highest risk of severe COVID-19.

Evusheld

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 6 March (HL5937), why the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) request for referral of 8 June is described as for “referral of Evusheld for treatment of COVID-19” but, as confirmed in a NICE freedom of information response, the request was for “referral of tixagevimab-cilgavimab for preventing COVID-19 [ID6136] on 8 June 2022”, causing delay to the possibility of a decision at a time when the preventative prophylaxis Evusheld was highly efficacious.

Lord Markham: The request made by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to the Department on 8 June 2022 was for the referral of Evusheld for the treatment of COVID-19 for inclusion into its multiple technology appraisal on therapeutics for COVID-19, not Evusheld for prevention. I understand from NICE that an error was made in its response to the freedom of information request, and that a correction will be issued accordingly. I apologise that this happened.

Palantir: Databases

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to NHS England’s instruction to hospitals to use Palantir’s Faster Data Flows database, whether hospitals will be required to seek patients’ consent for the sharing of their data.

Lord Markham: My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has directed NHS England to undertake data collections. The directions create a legal obligation for the NHS England collection and processing and as a result consent is not required. The Faster Data Flows pilot aims to collect data already submitted via legacy collection systems with an aim to reduce data latency. The pilot will not collect any data from providers which they are not already asked to provide, as it is the collection method which is changing, not the information being collected.

Ministry of Defence

Defence Equipment

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government, further tothe UK's tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region described in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, whether (1) they will speed up the order for F35B fighter aircraft, (2) Crowsnest will be fully accepted into service, (3) the successor to Crowsnest will be expedited, and (4) the planned deployment of HMS Prince of Wales will be brought forward to 2024.

Baroness Goldie: The Department has announced the intention to buy a further tranche of Lightning. However, details including the delivery profile remain subject to negotiation.Turning to the CROWSNEST programme, which delivers Merlin Mk2 Airborne Surveillance and Control to the Royal Navy (RN), I can confirm that the capability was accepted into service in February 2021. CROWSNEST will fulfil the RN's organic Airborne Surveillance and Control capability until its current out-of-service date in 2029, to be replaced by a follow-on capability.The Department continually assesses and reviews the effectiveness of its capabilities to inform decisions about where resources should be committed to treat the most pressing risks. The development of a successor to CROWSNEST is designed to ensure the continued delivery of Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Airborne Early Warning to the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) beyond its planned out of service date, and will be coherent with both developments in Uncrewed Air Systems, and other technologies maturing through the Future Combat Air System and the RN's Future Air Dominance System.Finally, regarding HMS PRINCE OF WALES (PWLS), the UK maintains a Very High Readiness CSG whose planned and reactive deployments can be adjusted to achieve His Majesty's Government's objectives. The department does not comment on the detail or evolution of those plans, however, I can confirm that we remain committed to ensuring PWLS commences her operational programme, as planned, in Autumn 2023.

Army: Defence Equipment

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the equipment spend planned for the army over the next five years is the largest of all the services.

Baroness Goldie: Equipment spend forecasts are published in the annual Defence Equipment Plan and the supplementary data tables published alongside show the planned yearly spend for each Front-Line Command. Some equipment budgets are held outside the Front-Line Commands. These include Strategic Programmes (including Complex Weapons and the Global Combat Air Programme) and the Defence Nuclear Organisation. Army Command does not have the largest spend over the next five years.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2022-to-2032

Indo-pacific Region: Defence Equipment

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what defence assets they are sending to the Indo-Pacific region aside from the aircraft carriers; and whether the two offshore patrol vesselsstationed in the region and the AUKUS agreement on nuclear submarines are part of the UK'stilt towards the Indo-Pacific region.

Baroness Goldie: We will continue to utilise a variety of assets as appropriate in the Indo-Pacific, alongside other deployments, joint exercises and training programmes with partner nations to strengthen our regional defence cooperation. The forward deployment of two Offshore Patrol Vessels and the recent announcement of the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme are clear demonstrations of our increased engagement in the region. We continue to deepen and enhance our relationships in the area to place our approach to the Indo-Pacific on a long-term strategic footing.

Armed Forces

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, whether the UK army, the Royal Air Force, and most of the Royal Navy will remain in Europe so that the UK’s defence and security efforts remain focused on the Euro-Atlantic through NATO.

Baroness Goldie: As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, the Euro-Atlantic will remain the UK's priority theatre of focus. NATO will remain the cornerstone of UK security, with the UK at the heart of the Alliance and offering the full spectrum of Defence capabilities.Any specific policy changes or updates required related to Defence capability and force design will be determined following the publication of the Defence Command Paper.

Indo-pacific Region: Navy

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whethera Royal Navy carrier battlegroup can redeploy from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific within four weeks.

Baroness Goldie: It is possible to redeploy a Royal Navy Carrier Led Maritime Task Group from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific Region within four weeks.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Heating: Renewable Energy

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the percentage of non-electrical heat demand that is met by renewable technologies.

Lord Callanan: There are a number of options that have the potential to play an important role in decarbonising heat alongside electrification. Increasing the proportion of green gas in the grid is a practical, established, and cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions. The Green Gas Support Scheme supports injection of biomethane into the gas grid. The £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme in limited circumstances supports the installation of biomass boilers in domestic and small non-domestic buildings with grants up to £5,000. The Government is supporting industry to deliver a neighbourhood trial by 2024 and a village scale trial of hydrogen heating by 2025 to take decisions in 2026 on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heating, and consulting on the case for enabling or requiring hydrogen-ready boilers and broader heating system efficiencies.

Renewable Energy: Seas and Oceans

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials are engaged in work to support marine energy reaching commercialisation.

Lord Callanan: There are four officials whose work is focussed on supporting marine energy commercialisation at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. They are supported by others across the Department who help deliver various renewable schemes and programmes.

Wave Power

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, ofthe performance of Wave Energy Scotland; and what plans they have, if any, to replicate its model to support the development of wave energy in England.

Lord Callanan: The Government has no plans to make an assessment of Wave Energy Scotland. It was established, and is fully funded, by the Scottish Government. The Government supports the development and deployment of wave energy in the UK through research funding programmes and the Contracts for Difference scheme.

Renewable Energy: Innovation

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they intend toprovide to innovative renewable deployment, such as combined wind and wave offshore sites.

Lord Callanan: The Government supports innovative renewable deployment through a suite of research funding programmes and the Contracts for Difference scheme. For example, research projects on combining offshore wind and wave sites can apply to UK Research and Innovation for funding.

Renewable Energy: Seas and Oceans

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what funding they intend to make availablewithin the Net Zero Innovation Portfoliofor combined wind and wave energy generation.

Lord Callanan: The Net Zero Innovation Portfolio is investing up to £60m to support the development of state-of-the-art technologies in the future offshore wind industry.

Wave Power: Finance

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of introducing a ringfence for wave energy in future contract for difference auctions.

Lord Callanan: Through the Contracts for Difference scheme the Government can ringfence budgets for technologies where costs are comparatively higher than other technologies in the same pot, but show potential to make an important contribution to decarbonisation targets. In the upcoming Allocation Round 5 auction, tidal stream and wave technologies will be part of the emerging technologies pot, which has a £35m budget. Of this total, the Government has a ring-fenced budget of £10m to support tidal stream projects. Wave technology is costlier and at precommercial stage, which is several years behind tidal stream in development, hence the Government has not set a ring-fenced budget for this technology.

Home Office

Vagrancy Act 1824

Baroness Adams of Craigielea: To ask His Majesty's Government what they have plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824; and if so, when.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government does agree that the Vagrancy Act is antiquated and not fit for purpose, and therefore we have committed to repealing it. We made that commitment during the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. Our commitment to repealing it has always been dependent on introducing modern replacement legislation to ensure that police and other agencies continue to have the powers that they need to keep communities safe and protect vulnerable individuals.I cannot give a specific date when we will bring the legislation in. We will bring forward suitable replacement legislation in a future legislative vehicle.

Police: Vetting

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduceregulations to permit police forces to dismiss officers who have failed vetting procedures.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Secretary has launched a review into the process of police officer dismissals, ensuring that the system is fair and effective at removing those officers who are not fit to serve their communities. Part 8 of the Terms of Reference sets out that this review will consider the performance system and its effectiveness with regards to dismissals, including where officers have failed to maintain their vetting status. Further details, including the full Terms of Reference, have been published on Gov.UK.The Review is expected to conclude in May. The Government is committed to making changes necessary following the conclusion of the Review, including legislative changes where appropriate.

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government who has statutory responsibility for unaccompanied children seeking asylum who are in interim accommodation provided by the Home Office before they are placed under the care of a local authority.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Whilst an unaccompanied child is in interim accommodation provided by the department, the Home Office will do whatever is reasonable to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare. However, this does not impact the statutory duties owed to unaccompanied children by local authorities at this or any other time. It is for the relevant local authority to consider its duties under the Children Act 1989. The Home Office does not have, and therefore cannot discharge, duties under Part 3 of the Children Act 1989.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Wave Power: EU Grants and Loans

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that UK wave energy projects will continue to have access to EU funding through schemes such as the European Regional Development Fund and Horizon Europe.

Viscount Camrose: Wave energy projects have been eligible for a suite of HMG research funding programmes. The UK welcomes the EU’s recent willingness to engage in discussions on UK association to EU programmes. HMG has acted to support UK researchers and businesses across the UK by introducing the Horizon Guarantee - now extended until end June 2023. In all circumstances, we are confident we’re going to have a compelling offer for international S&T collaboration, building on our global strengths.

Cabinet Office

Low Incomes

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the numbers of (1) men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Noble Peer’s Parliamentary Question of 27 March is attached in the answer. The Baroness Altmann CBEHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW3 April 2023Dear Lady Altmann,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what is the latest estimate of the numbers of (1)men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles (HL6837).The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) [1], carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs' Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records. Table 1 (below) shows the numbers of (1) men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles for April 20221 (the latest period for which ASHE estimates are available). As with any survey, estimates from ASHE are subject to a margin of uncertainty.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian DiamondTable 1: Estimates of the number of employee jobs with annual earnings below £12,570, UK, 2022 [1,2,3]GroupNumber of employee jobs with annual earnings of less than £12,570 (thousands) [2,3]Total number ofemployee jobs ingroup (thousands) [2, 3]All employees3,34622,363Male90711,294Female2,43911,069Full-time30916,547Part-time3,0375,817Full-time male1349,856Full-time female1756,691Part-time male7731,439Part-time female2,2644,378Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings[1] Estimates for 2022 are provisional[2] Employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than a year[3] Figures for Number of Jobs are for indicative purposes only and should not be considered anaccurate estimate of employee job countsUK Statistics Authority Response (pdf, 93.8KB)

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Sports Competitors: Work Permits

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay published on 28 March (HL6443), when the next review of the Governing Body Endorsement will take place; how long the review will run for; what criteria will be deployed as part of the assessment; and what consultation will take place with interested parties, and in particular Premier League clubs.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The reviews of each sport’s Governing Body Endorsement criteria are led by the Home Office. Regular reviews are a common and integral part of this work.The Government is currently carrying out a supplementary rapid review of the competitiveness of English football in attracting the best global talent while maintaining strong support to enable young domestic players to develop from the grassroots level. The scope of the review includes the Governing Body Endorsement criteria for English football. The Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League, and the Professional Footballers’ Association have been asked for written contributions to the review.

Public Sector: Voluntary Work

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote volunteering in support of public services.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: HM Government is committed to enabling people to volunteer in all manner of ways, including in support of public services. Volunteers play important roles alongside staff as magistrates, in schools, and in the NHS, for instance. Each public service area is responsible for its own volunteer management and for developing its strategic involvement of volunteers.The Government is currently taking several steps to promote volunteering in support of public services. For example, the Department for Education continues to support the recruitment of school governors. The ‘Inspiring Governance’ programme recruits volunteers from business to become school governors and to serve on the local governing bodies of academy trusts. Since the programme began in 2016, it has placed 6,782 volunteers in governance roles. The Government has also invested over £1 million to support the recruitment of magistrates from a diverse range of backgrounds. A revised recruitment process has been introduced making use of best practice to ensure that it is fairer, more inclusive, and more accessible. These changes have been supported by a new marketing campaign designed to raise the profile of the magistracy, particularly among under-represented groups of society.

Croxteth Hall: Plants

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the long-term and secure future of the Roscoe Botanical Garden.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government recognises the importance of Liverpool's Botanical Collection as one of the oldest such collections in the world.The medical, scientific, educational, and horticultural importance of these rare plants is significant, as well as the benefits they can have for health and wellbeing in the local community and more widely.We support the steps that Liverpool City Council is making to secure the future of the gardens and encourage it to apply to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Olympic Games and Paralympic Games: Paris

Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the British Olympic Association about the possibility of British athletes boycotting the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We are currently engaged with other countries in our ‘like-minded’ coalition regarding the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations to International Federations, published on 28 March, on neutrality conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes.Athlete participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a matter for the British Olympic and British Paralympic Associations, which operate independently of the Government. The Government’s long-standing position is that a boycott would wrongly deny British athletes the chance to reach the pinnacle of their careers.

Sports

Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN General Assembly resolution A/77/L.28that major sports events “should be organised in the spirit of peace” and that “the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected”.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The UK attaches great importance to the principles of the UN Charter, including not to use force against the territorial integrity of other states. These principles must be defended. We agree on the importance of sports events for improving international relations, and have set out our position about when events are used to try to legitimise conflicts.

Sports: Belarus and Russia

Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of theInternational Olympic Committee’s position that (1) no international sports events should be organised or supported by an International Federation of Sport or National Olympic Committee in Russia or Belarus, (2) no flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries can be displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue, and (3) no Russian and Belarussian Government or State official should be invited to or accredited for any international sports event or meeting.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Vladimir Putin should not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine. The UK has built and led the international response in this area, including convening three collective statements signed by more than 35 countries. Amongst other principles, our statements also set out that Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to host, bid for, or be awarded any international sporting events; the use of official state Russian and Belarusian flags, emblems and anthems should be prohibited; and no athletes or officials representing the Russian and Belarusian states should be allowed to participate in international sport.

Tennis: Belarus and Russia

Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on the possible participation of Russian and Belarussian players at the grass-court Wimbledon Championships this year; andwhat assessment has been made of the inclusion of those players at that event.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Individual, self-funded Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in the UK, subject to following our guidance on neutrality. We therefore support the approach of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and Lawn Tennis Association on the basis of following that guidance.

Department for Business and Trade

Trade Agreements: India

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government whatprogress they have made in negotiating a free trade agreement with India; and when they expect an agreement to be reached.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: We have been in negotiations since January 2022, and talks are ongoing. Both nations have come to the table with the very highest of ambitions and a willingness to work together towards a mutually beneficial deal. We are now working through substantive issues like goods market access, services, and investment, and are starting to see a way forward that works for both sides. However, we remain clear – the Secretary of State will only sign when we have a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.

Treasury

Duty Free Allowances: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Penn on 22 March (HL6248), what is the reason why duty-free purchases cannot be made when flying from Belfast to EU countries.

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government why citizens of Northern Ireland are not able to buy duty free products when travelling from Belfast to the EU.

Baroness Penn: The government is committed to preserving frictionless movement of people and goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is important to communities across Northern Ireland and would otherwise undermine the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.Enabling duty-free shopping between Ireland, which is a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland without also introducing border controls would lead to significant distortions of trade on the island of Ireland as well as a significant revenue loss for both UK and Ireland by creating a legal route for unlimited amounts of alcohol and tobacco to flow into the UK market duty-free.

Child Trust Fund

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that young people do not lose track of their investments in Child Trust Funds.

Baroness Penn: HMRC has worked closely with Child Trust Fund (CTF) providers, the wider industry and the Money and Pensions Service to ensure that young people are aware of, and can access, their CTFs. HMRC has:worked closely with CTF providers to ensure they are meeting regulatory requirements to communicate with CTF customers approaching and reaching maturity.developed and improved the ‘Find my CTF’ service on GOV.uk to help customers locate their account.added information to the National Insurance Notification (NINO) letter, which is sent out prior to a child’s 16th birthday, to raise awareness of the CTF scheme with children in the appropriate age bracket.required CTF providers to write to their customers informing them of their options in their 17th year and to provide statements annually after the account holder turns 18.issued a range of communications through regular press releases and social media posts Children with maturing CTFs also receive a significant amount of written information pertaining to their account directly from their account provider. The government is committed to helping people access the savings and money they are entitled to and continues to explore new routes to reunite young people with their Child Trust Funds.